Loud-speaker mounting



Aug. 14, 1951 B. W. LOWELL LOUD-SPEAKER MOUNTING Filed March 28, 1949 5 71- AM. 5 H5 Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUD-SPEAKER MOUNTING Benjamin W. Lowell, Richmond Heights, Mo. Application March 28, 1949, Serial No. 83,887

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a loud speaker mounting.

More particularly, this invention is a loud speaker support, baflle and diffuser combination especially adaptable to public address and the like systems, which device can be mounted upon a wall, ceiling or similar panel structure, which will support a speaker cone, which will give proper difiusion and distribution of the sound waves emitting from the speaker, which will do so without undesirable vibrations, and which will conceal unfinished parts of the equipment and wall, and will present a pleasing appearance for the assembly. Also, the invention comprehends the production of such a speaker baffle and support with diffuser that is strong, rigid, simple to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom view of the speaker bafiie;

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a diametrical transverse section through the speaker baflle with the speaker cone indicated fragmentally in dotted lines; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5, showing one of the cone mounting studs.

The baffle includes a ring I that is preferably formed of spun aluminum, but which may be formed of other material. The spun aluminum is especially desirable because it can be shaped to give the form illustrated, and because it is relatively dead to undesirable vibrations, as compared with other materials.

The baffle ring I0 is provided with a flange II that may be supplied with holes I2 to receive screws or like fastenings for attachment of the ring flush against a ceiling or a wall. There a sloping or tapering wall portion I3 that spaces a relatively flat ring section I4 away from the wall to which the flange I I is attached. This tapering portion I3 may beof varying thickness. When the speaker is inset into a recess in the wall, the tapering portion may be about as shown; but, when the speaker is to be set out from the wall, the tapering portion I3 must have substantially more depth.

The ring I4 terminates in a flange I that is transverse to the plane of the wall. This flange I5 provides a border to a circular opening I6. The flat portion l4, together with the lower part of the tapered depending section I3 and the flange l5, provide a somewhat channel-shaped annular space in which a reinforcing ring I8 may be supplied as necessary. The ring I8 is preferably of some strong but relatively dead material such as one of the hard plastic materials of which Masonite is typical. The ring I8 has a plurality of studs 20 upstandingly mounted therein, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the headed stud 20 extends upwardly through the ring I8, receives a spring washer 2I, that may be a tinnerman nut or the like, that will hold the stud 20 against turning when a nut is threaded onto it. The studs 20 receive a frame 23 of a speaker cone, and over the frame nuts 24 with appropriate washers are engaged, to secure the cone speaker frame to the studs 20.

The ring I8 is also securely attached to the baffle III by attaching means that also support a conical diffuser on the baffle. To this end, there are a plurality of rod-like elements 26, each of which is provided with a reduced and threaded upper portion 21. The portions 21 pass through suitable holes in the portion I4 of the bafile plate I0, and through the ring I8. The reduced portions 21 provide shoulders 28 that securely engage the lower surface of the baflie portion I4. Above the ring I8, nuts 30 and washers engage over the threaded portion 21 and bind tightly against the ring I 8, so that the ring is firmly held against the portion I4 of the bailie III.

The bars or rods 26 extend downwardly and then are bent inwardly toward the axis of the bafiie, as indicated in the drawings. Prior to the time the nuts 21 are fastened into place, and when at least certain of the rods 26 are movable, a diifuser element 33 is placed over the ends of the rods 26.

The diffuser 33 is formed of two pieces of aluminum in the preferred arrangement, which may be spun to the shapes indicated. As illustrated especially in Figs. 3 and 4, there is a conical upper section 34 and a lower section 35 that is a portion of a sphere. The lower section 35 is flanged over at 36 around its periphery so that the flange 36 is spun down tightly and firmly against the lower or larger end of the cone 34 to be absolutely free of any possibility of vibration at the junction.

The cone portion 34 has a plurality of openings 31 through it near its lower or larger end. Each of these openings 31 is provided with a relatively soft rubber grommet 38 that is shown as surrounding the rods 26 that are inserted through the openings. These grommets act as cushioning means to absorb vibrations and prevent their transmission to the cone.

In assembly, the studs 20 are first mounted upon the ring I8 and held there by the tinnerman nuts 2|. Then the rods 26 are inserted through the portion 14 of the baflie I0, and the plate I8 is fitted down over them, after which the nuts 21 are turned down sufiiciently to keep the rods from dropping out. Then, with at least some of the rods 26 loose, so that they can be turned, the diffuser cone 34 is located in' position by fitting its openings 31, into which the grommets 38 are fitted, over the ends of the rods 26. Then the rods are properly straightened out, so that the diffuser conev is properly located. and the nuts 30 tightened firmly down. This will give a speaker bafile and diffuser assembly.

In order to mount a speaker on the assembly, it is merely fitted over the studs 29- to engage the tinnerman nuts 21, after which the nuts 22, with their suitable washers, are. turned down firmly into place. Thereupon the entire speaker and bafiie and diffuser assembly can be attached to a wall or panel having an opening to receive the speaker. A typical means to attach the parts to the wall is by passing screws through the openings The baflle assembly of the foregoing description has no undesirable vibration and yet is strong and is simple to construct. It is pleasing in appearance. There is no possibility that any parts may fall off of the assembly by becoming loosened as a result of the constant vibration of the speaker.

What is claimed is:

I. .In a mounting for use with a loud speaker, a ring-like member having a first portion engage- .able with a supporting surface, an offset portion formed integrally with the first portion, means on the offset portion to receive and support the loud speaker, a plurality of rod-like elements extending through the offset portion, away therefrom, and thereafter inwardly toward, but terminating short of the central axis of the ring-like member, a diffuser of cone-like shape having a plurality of openings through the conical wall thereof, through which openings the ends of the rod-like elements extend to support the diffuser, and cushioning means between the rod-like elements and the diiiuser to absorb vibratory movement of the diffuser relative to the rod-like elements.

- In a mounting for use with a loud speaker, a supporting member attachable to a wall or the like and having a center opening therethrongh;

fastenin means in the supporting member around the opening for securing a speaker to the member, a plurality of rod-like elements, each attached at one end to the supporting member,

extending away therefrom, thereafter extending 1 sound-absorbing connection between the said parts, for support of the difiuser cone by the rods.

3. In a mounting for use with a loud speaker, a supporting member having a central opening therethrough, a flange on the outer periphery of the member extending backwardly and out- ,wardly, a plurality of studs for receiving a loud speaker, a plurality of rod-like elements, each releasably secured at one end to the supporting member, extending forwardly therefrom, and then having its other end turned inwardly toward the axis of the opening in the supporting memher, but terminating short of the axis; a diffuser cone comprising a hollow conical element with its apex toward the opening and its base forwardly thereof, and a closure for the base end of the conical element, a plurality of holes through the element, each hole receiving one of the rodlike elements, with a yieldable grommet engaging the wall of the conical element in each hole and surrounding the rod-like element in said hole, the diffuser cone being thereby supported upon the supporting member. I

4. In a mounting for use with a loud speaker, a supporting member having a central opening therethrough, a flange on the outer periphery of the member extending backwardly and outwardly, a plurality of studs for receiving a loud speaker, a plurality of rod-like elements, each releasably secured at one end to the supporting member, extending forwardly therefrom, and then having its other end turned inwardly toward the axis of the opening in the supporting member, but terminating short of the axis; a diffuser cone comprising a hollow conical element with its apex toward the opening and its base forwardly thereof, and a closure for the base end of the conical element, a plurality of holes through the element, each hole receiving one of the rod-like elements, with a yieldable grommet engaging the wall of the conical element in each hole and surrounding the rod-like element in said hole, the difiuser cone being thereby supported upon the supporting member, the supporting member having aring of reinforcing material on its back surface, the studs being. attached thereto, and the first, mentioned ends of the rods being reduced, threaded, and passed through the supporting member and the ring, with nuts on the threaded ends of the rods, for tightly connecting the supporting member, ring, and rods together.

BENJAMIN W. LOWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Volk Nov. 29,1938 

